NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Zinc acetate lozenges taken
within 24 hours of developing symptoms of the common cold
reduce the duration and severity of symptoms, according to a
report in The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Previous studies of zinc treatment for common cold symptoms
have yielded conflicting results, the authors explain.

Dr. Ananda S. Prasad from Wayne State University School of
Medicine, Detroit, and associates investigated the effects of
zinc acetate lozenges in treating the common cold in 50
volunteers who had cold symptoms for 24 hours or less. The
participants took one zinc acetate lozenge containing 13.3
milligrams of zinc or an inactive "placebo" every 2 to 3 hours
while awake.

The average duration of cold symptoms (including cough,
runny nose, and muscle ache) was about 4 days in the zinc group
compared with 7 in the placebo group, the authors report.

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After 4 days, 56 percent of the zinc group had complete
resolution of their colds, whereas none of the placebo group
was free of cold symptoms. The results of a number of
biochemical tests suggested that zinc was having a true effect
on the colds. The investigators observed no zinc side effects.

"Zinc acetate preparation, as used in our study, was
significantly effective in decreasing the (average) duration of
cold symptoms," the authors conclude. "We propose that the
beneficial clinical effects seen in the zinc group were due to
the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of zinc."